Title: Institutional Adjustments for Coping with
Prolonged and Severe Drought in the Rio Grande Basin

Duration: September 1, 1996 - August 31, 1998

Federal Funds requested: $293,887

Non-Federal (matching) funds pledged: $588,863

Principal investigator(s) name(s) and university

PI: Dr. Frank A. Ward, economist, New Mexico State
University

CO PI: Dr. Robert Young, economist (emeritus), Colorado
State Univ

CO PI: Dr. Ronald Lacewell, economist, Texas A&M
University

CO PI: Dr. J. Philip King, hydrologist, New Mexico State
University

CO PI: Dr. John Ellis, economist, Texas A&M
University

CO PI: Dr. Marshall Frasier, economist, Colorado State
University

CO PI: Dr. Raghavan Srinivasan, hydrologist, Texas
A&M University

CO PI: Dr. J. Thomas McGuckin, water economist, New
Mexico State Unv

Consultant: Dr. Charles DuMars, water lawyer, University
of New Mexico

Consultant: Dr. James Booker, computer modeler, Alfred
University, NY

Congressional District of universities where the research
is to be conducted: New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM (NM District

Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, (TX
District

Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO (CO District

Statement of critical regional or State water problems.

To overcome seasonal and multi-year water shortages and
meet projected future demands in the Rio Grande Basin, federal and state
governments have built an extensive
network of water storage and conveyance systems. The economies of the southwestern
United States and northeast Mexico have been built by establishing a reliable
water supply in a largely arid land, and many institutions in the area have
become important by supporting water resources development. In the United
States the water laws of the three states in the Rio Grande Basin region have
evolved to protect past investments in water development and define the
management rules for water usage. Regional water management systems have
developed and linked the water resources of the Rio Grande to serve users in
Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.

The physical systems serving the area have a large but
finite capacity for coping with drought. The laws and institutions are not
prepared for acute and prolonged droughts. To date there has been no
comprehensive analysis conducted for providing information needed to get
through such a drought with minimal economic disturbance. Increasing population
and growing demands placed on land and water resources are increasing potential
drought severity, magnifying the probable economic losses during a prolonged
series of dry years. These forces are increasing the potential benefits that
would result from a comprehensive analysis of drought.

Statement of results or benefits.

This project will characterize probable drought scenarios
and the capability of existing infrastructural and institutional systems to
respond to drought. The information gleaned from the project will help managers
who are responsible for planning in their drought contingency planning, and
help other researchers focus on the issues in water management during drought.

The methodoIogies employed by the study will be of
interest to water managers and researchers addressing water allocation and
management in other arid regions. Altemative drought planning strategies
developed by this project will outline important management options for
increasing coping capacities. Additionally, the project will identify important
information that can be used by managers to best deal with drought.